Bellrock community outreach update – Western Sydney Wanderers Foundation

Christmas is the season of giving and Bellrock are proud to work with organisations that give back to our community through programs that engage, include and inspire. We believe that by building partnerships with organisations that share and represent our values, not only can we make a positive impact, but the whole Bellrock team benefits from a source of continuous inspiration and a deeper understanding of issues affecting our community. We take this opportunity to share and celebrate some of the achievements made by our partners this year.

Football has been at the core of Bellrock’s Corporate Social Responsibility ethos for several years now, with a focus on youth football and social inclusion. This has led us to a corporate partnership with the Western Sydney Wanderers (WSW) Foundation – a registered charity founded in 2020 by WSW FC in partnership with the Australian Sports Foundation. WSW Foundation strives to deliver on key pillars across youth development, social inclusion, indigenous support and cultural engagement through football. These initiatives include:

This program is aimed at developing elite youth talent among female players. Now in its second year, with the support of the foundation, the program has expanded the program’s age range to include players from 10 – 16 years and delivers a 20 week intensive development program for over 60 girls. There is no cost to the players selected, ensuring players from all backgrounds have equal access to elite training opportunities. Football enjoys the highest female participation rate among all codes, and with Australia hosting the FIFA Womens World Cup next year, this program seeks to capitalise on the rising interest in womens football and develop the next generation of Matildas.

“Women’s football has absolutely exploded over the last 4 or 5 years. We need to do things better and better and one of the key elements is elite youth development.” Tom Sermanni, Head of Womens Football, WSW FC.

The Wanderers Foundation advocates for inclusive football and supports the Western Sydney Wanderers Power Chair team, who compete in an all abilities 4 per side competition which is designed specifically for electric wheelchair users. WSW were among the first A-league football clubs to be officially associated with a Powerchair team.

New in 2022, was the launch of the foundation’s latest initiative to support all abilities players- the Inclusive Football Program. This program is designed to engage and encourage participants aged between 5-12 to develop a love of football and the experience of being in a team. It has been delivered at schools across the region and at WSW HQ.

Over 180 languages are spoken in the region of Western Sydney making it the most culturally diverse region of Australia. The foundation engages with a range of community groups using the international “language” of football by supporting initiatives such as the African Cup NSW, the Afghan National Cup and the Karabi Indigenous Football Program.

WSW Foundation is currently undertaking their annual Christmas appeal, with 100% of all donations going directly to support all abilities football programs. The funds raised will help to expand upon the important work the foundation is doing which is having real impact in the community. Please consider supporting WSW Foundation with a tax deductible donation which can be made here.